Although she modestly tries to conceal her face behind a delicate tortoise-shell comb, this elegant woman is still visible through the comb’s transparent body.
Utamaro was a famous woodblock-print artist during a period when the merchant class was at the center of the Japanese cultural scene. Woodblock prints—mass-produced, inexpensive images—completely revolutionized all manner of art, fashion, and theater. A single print required a different woodblock for each color. How many blocks do you think were used for this print?
